Gaining Perceptive
by Jayne Leigh
Summary: From the episode 'In The Shadows Of Two Gunmen Part 2.' Right after Josh finds out his Father has died.  He talks to Leo and Leo then talks to Jed. Please review!


**Hey, here's just a standalone fic from the episode 'In The Shadows Of Two Gunmen Part 2.' Right after Josh finds out his Father has died. Please review and let me know what you think!!! **

**Enjoy!!! **

**Gaining Perceptive**

"Leo, we've got to replace this music, we've got to replace it with some Doobie Brothers!" Josh called after Leo.

"Josh?"

"And Donna, you've got to get happy!" He spun around to face her. "Donna, you just won the Illinois Primary, come dance with me!"

"No, Josh. No, Josh... Your father died."

Josh froze and stared at the woman who had hired herself as his assistant.

"What?" He asked, his forehead creasing with confusion.

"Your...Your mother...I just spoke to her..." Donna stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his arm comfortingly. "I'm so sorry, Josh."

"She... He...He's really...?" He questioned, in a slight daze.

"She said there was some kind of complications during his treatment..." She looked around the room at everyone still celebrating the win; none of them noticing the pained look on Josh's face. "I think she said it was a pulmonary embolism..."

"A what?"

"It's a blood clot..." She explained. "It went to his heart..."

"Wow." He muttered, his hands started to shake a little. "Wow."

"Okay, why don't you sit down." She guided him to a chair. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, I think...Just give me a minute..." He ran his hand over his eyes.

"Josh! We did it! Man, this feels great..." Sam rambled excitedly before sensing something was wrong. "Josh? You okay?"

"Yeah..." He mumbled, not really hearing him.

"Are you sure?"

"What?"

"What's going on?"

"My Dad... He...Umm..." He glanced up and his voice trailed off guessing that from the look on Sam's face, he had already worked out what happened.

"No..." Sam whispered. He had been good friends with Josh for so long and he knew his father well. "No...God, Josh... I'm...I'm so sorry..."

"Yeah." He mumbled looking down.

"Here..." Donna passed him a glass of water. The short time she had known Josh, she had learnt that he didn't drink a lot of alcohol; so decided water was a better option.

Josh took the glass but his hands shook so much it slipped out of his grasp and smashed onto the floor. Everyone instantly fell silent and turned towards the three of them, looking at them questionably.

"What's going on?" C.J asked, walking over to them with Toby following behind.

"It's... It's nothing...I'm sorry...It's okay..." Josh stuttered. He hadn't known the two of them that long and he didn't want to lose it in front of them.

"You look very white." C.J commented, concerned.

"Yeah...Uh... I...I'm going to get some fresh air... I just need to..." He managed to stagger to his feet and moved towards the door.

"Josh?" Toby called after him, but he didn't stop.

"What the hell's going on?" C.J questioned Sam and Donna. "We just won! We should be celebrating!"

"His Dad died." Sam answered.

"What?"

"I'm going to check on him..." He headed in the same direction that Josh had just gone. "Someone go and find Leo."

_XxXxX_

Josh took a deep breath and leaned back against the bench, staring up at the sky. He had just sent Sam back inside. He just needed a few minutes to get his head around this. His Dad was dead. How was that possible? He had only spoken to him the day before.

"How you doing, Kid?"

He turned and looked at Leo. "They tell you?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" Leo asked, sitting down beside him.

"I should have told you...You knew him for a long time..."

"Josh, stop... Don't worry about me...Don't worry about anything." He told him. "I've sent Sam and Toby to pack you a bag...And Donna is working on getting you on the next flight home..."

"I can't leave..."

"You can and you will." Leo gave him a look. "Your Mom needs you."

He sighed, Leo was right; he was the only person she had left now. "Yeah."

"He was a good man, Josh."

"I know."

"And he was proud of you..." He continued. "He has always been proud of you."

"Yeah." He lowered his head slightly, shielding his face in hope Leo wouldn't see the tears in his eyes.

"I made him a promise, you know..."

Josh glanced up at him questionably.

"When he found out you were dropping Hoynes... He wasn't sure whether it was a good idea..." Leo explained. "He made me promise not to let you regret coming here."

"I don't." Josh answered quickly.

"Even after how the Governor has been acting?"

Josh shrugged slightly. "He's a good man."

"He is."

"You should get back inside...He'll wonder where you've gone."

"You coming?"

"I might stay out here for a little longer."

"You going to be okay?"

"Yeah." He nodded, returning his eyes to the sky.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Leo asked, as he stood.

"I'll be fine." Josh glanced at him.

"Okay, but remember that you can, because I also promised your Dad I'd take care of you." Leo continued. "I'm not going to break that promise, okay?"

Josh gave him a small smile. "Okay."

"Okay." Leo repeated, turning and heading back inside.

"Leo?" Josh called after him, causing him to look back. "Thanks."

"That's what people do for their friend's sons." He replied, before disappearing through the door.

_XxXxX_

"Leo, where are my staff?" Jed asked, when Leo walked back into the room.

He looked up at him and Abbey. "I'm sorry?"

"Where is everyone?" He repeated the question. "Aren't we all meant to be working here?"

"Uh, they're sort of taking a break."

"Oh that's just great!" He threw his hands in the air.

"Calm down..." Abbey looked across at her husband.

"Well, why don't we all just go and join the party that's apparently happening, which may I add, I wasn't invited to...Even though they're celebrating something I won!"

"Jed!"

"You won?" Leo's head snapped up and looked at him. "All by yourself?!"

"I didn't mean..."

"Because I'm pretty damn sure everyone here has been working hard for this campaign and you haven't even shown them any respect!"

"Hey!"

"You don't even know any of their names!" Leo pointed out.

He had been pretty understanding with Jed during the campaign. He understood that he was scared, but he couldn't deal with it right now. Not after finding out one of his close friends has died. Not when he was worrying about Josh. One thing he knew about Josh was that he tended to blame himself for stuff he had no control over.

"Well, maybe I've had other things on my mind..." Jed stated defensively.

"Do you know what they've given up for you? Sam and C.J both had great jobs with good money..." Leo cut him off once more. "Josh...God, you think we'd have been able to beat John Hoynes if he still had Josh on his side!"

"Okay, why don't the two of you just cool down a little." Abbey stepped in between them.

Leo turned away and ran his hand over his face. Jed watched him curiously for a few seconds.

"Leo? What's going on?"

Leo turned back to look at Jed, noticing he did look genuinely concerned. "Josh's father died."

"That's terrible..." Abbey gasped slightly.

"Yeah...He was a good man... a good friend."

"I'm sorry, Leo..." Jed said quietly. "I didn't know...I'm sorry."

Leo shrugged slightly.

"Where's Josh now?"

"Sam is just taking him to the airport." Leo informed him. "He'll be back in time for the speech."

Jed nodded slightly. "I... I should go and talk to him."

"Sam?" Leo questioned.

"No, Josh...I should talk to him... Pass on my condolences."

"Sir, he would have already left by now..."

"We can catch him at the airport." Jed claimed.

"Sir, the speech."

"It can wait." Jed claimed, grabbing his jacket. "I need to do this."

"Okay, fine but I'm coming with you..." Leo replied, following him out.

**The End**

**Please review and let me know what you think!!! **


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